Pashkov House in Moscow depicts an urban residence of the 18th century Russian nobility.
Russian Literature was once divided into several different independent nations. They were historically known as Russia or the Soviet Union. In the early 19th century, Russian literature was dominated by poets and playwrights. From the 1830s on, Russia was divided into several different eras in which certain genres and authors sparked interests of both readers and fellow writers alike.
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Early History
Literature was written in old Russian language. Popular works consisted of bylinas (oral folk epics) which fused Christain and Paegan traditions. Medieval Russian literature had religious character and used adapted form of church Slavonic language with South Slavic elements. The first work in colloquial, or a converted Russian language, emerged in the mid 17th century.
Petrine Era
This era is most recognized to the rest of the world as Westernization of Russia. Two prominent leaders of this change were Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. The reformed Russian alphabet and increase of tolerance of using the popular language for literary purposes became a major changing point. In the early 18th century, some recognized authors were Antioch Kantemir and Mikhail Lomonosov. A Russian by the name of Karamzin is known as the creator of modern Russian literary language.
The Silver Age took place in the beginning of the 20th century and was the high point for Russian poetry. Some major poets from this time period are: Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetaeva, Osip Mandelstam, and Boris Pasternak. Despite being the high point for Russian poetry, novelists and short stories also prospered including the Nobel Prize winning author Ivan Bunin.
Soviet Era/Post Soviet Era
During this era, a movement known as Oberiu made its way through and affected Russian literature. Oberiu was a short-lived avant-garde grouping of Russian post-Futuristic poets in the 1920s and 1930s. They represented "nonsensical verse" and "literary hobliganism". Two writers who were associated with this movement are Nikolay Zabolotsky and Alexandar Vvedensky. Sovietization literature (aka socialist realism) allowed few literary authors to publish their books, let alone write their own material because of the Soviet rule. Two well known resisters of official ideology include Mikhail Bulgakov (The Master and Margarita) and Boris Pasternak (Doctor Zhivago). Post-Stalin Russia still only permitted one style of writing, but many more authors were brave enough to break through the creative barrier. Authorities tried to control this outbreak by controlling the Russian literature that people overseas were experiencing. For example, the Russian government denied Kon Stantin Paustovsky the Literary Prize in 1965 and instead gave it to Mikhail Sholokov who was more loyal to the Soviet regime. They also forced Pasternak to refuse the Nobel Prize in 1958 in a desperate attempt to keep control the writers' emotions and creative minds.
Themes in Russian Literature
Some themes in Russian literature include suffering, redemption, and Christianity and Christian symbols. Viktor Shklovsky (Zoo, or Letters Not About Love) was once quoted saying, "Russian Literature has a bad tradition. Russian Literature is devoted to the description of unsuccessful love affairs."
Influential Russian Authors
Aleksandr Pushkin was born June 6, 1799 and died February 10, 1837. He published his first poem at the age of fifteen and was later exiled to southern Russia because of his literary writing and liberal political views. After he married, he and his wife became court regulars in Russia. Pushkin died in a duel with his wife's lover and a town was later named after him in 1937 because of his literary inspirations and accomplishments. Some of his famous works include: The Captain's Daughter, Boris Godunov, and "Ruslan and Ludmila".
Nikolai Gogol was born April 1, 1809. He was considered the first great Russian novelist and was Ukrainian born. He published his first work in 1831 and was considered the "Father of Modern Russian Realism." Before he died on March 4, 1852, Gogol burned the second half of one of his most famous works, Dead Souls. Some other works he is well known for are: Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka, Taras Bulba, The Inspector General, and The Overcoat.
Fyodor Dostoevsky was born November 11, 1821 and considered himself a "dreamer" as a young man. His literary career began in college, but did not seriously start writing until he left the military after serving as a lieutenant for two years. Midlife, Dostoevsky was arrested, imprisoned, and then exiled for four years beginning in 1844 due to his involvement in a liberal intellectual group called the Petrashevsky Circle. When passed away from failing health February 9, 1881, 40,000 mourners attended his funeral. His literary works were known to explore human psychology in the political, social, and spiritual aspect of human nature. Some of his works include: The Idiot, The Brothers Karamazov, and Notes from Underground.
Russian Literary History
Russian Literature was once divided into several different independent nations. They were historically known as Russia or the Soviet Union. In the early 19th century, Russian literature was dominated by poets and playwrights. From the 1830s on, Russia was divided into several different eras in which certain genres and authors sparked interests of both readers and fellow writers alike.
.Early History
Literature was written in old Russian language. Popular works consisted of bylinas (oral folk epics) which fused Christain and Paegan traditions. Medieval Russian literature had religious character and used adapted form of church Slavonic language with South Slavic elements. The first work in colloquial, or a converted Russian language, emerged in the mid 17th century.
Petrine Era
This era is most recognized to the rest of the world as Westernization of Russia. Two prominent leaders of this change were Peter the Great and Catherine the Great. The reformed Russian alphabet and increase of tolerance of using the popular language for literary purposes became a major changing point. In the early 18th century, some recognized authors were Antioch Kantemir and Mikhail Lomonosov. A Russian by the name of Karamzin is known as the creator of modern Russian literary language.
Golden Era
The Golden era of Russian literature took place in the 19th century. With the popularity of romanticism also came the poetic talents of Zhukovsky and his well know protegé Aleksandr Pushkin. Two other authors who are arguably two of the greatest novelists in Russian Literary History were also part of this golden era: Leo Tolstoy and Fydor Dostoevsky.
Silver Age
The Silver Age took place in the beginning of the 20th century and was the high point for Russian poetry. Some major poets from this time period are: Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetaeva, Osip Mandelstam, and Boris Pasternak. Despite being the high point for Russian poetry, novelists and short stories also prospered including the Nobel Prize winning author Ivan Bunin.
Soviet Era/Post Soviet Era
During this era, a movement known as Oberiu made its way through and affected Russian literature. Oberiu was a short-lived avant-garde grouping of Russian post-Futuristic poets in the 1920s and 1930s. They represented "nonsensical verse" and "literary hobliganism". Two writers who were associated with this movement are Nikolay Zabolotsky and Alexandar Vvedensky. Sovietization literature (aka socialist realism) allowed few literary authors to publish their books, let alone write their own material because of the Soviet rule. Two well known resisters of official ideology include Mikhail Bulgakov (The Master and Margarita) and Boris Pasternak (Doctor Zhivago). Post-Stalin Russia still only permitted one style of writing, but many more authors were brave enough to break through the creative barrier. Authorities tried to control this outbreak by controlling the Russian literature that people overseas were experiencing. For example, the Russian government denied Kon Stantin Paustovsky the Literary Prize in 1965 and instead gave it to Mikhail Sholokov who was more loyal to the Soviet regime. They also forced Pasternak to refuse the Nobel Prize in 1958 in a desperate attempt to keep control the writers' emotions and creative minds.
Themes in Russian Literature
Some themes in Russian literature include suffering, redemption, and Christianity and Christian symbols. Viktor Shklovsky (Zoo, or Letters Not About Love) was once quoted saying, "Russian Literature has a bad tradition. Russian Literature is devoted to the description of unsuccessful love affairs."
Influential Russian Authors
Aleksandr Pushkin was born June 6, 1799 and died February 10, 1837. He published his first poem at the age of fifteen and was later exiled to southern Russia because of his literary writing and liberal political views. After he married, he and his wife became court regulars in Russia. Pushkin died in a duel with his wife's lover and a town was later named after him in 1937 because of his literary inspirations and accomplishments. Some of his famous works include: The Captain's Daughter, Boris Godunov, and "Ruslan and Ludmila".
Nikolai Gogol was born April 1, 1809. He was considered the first great Russian novelist and was Ukrainian born. He published his first work in 1831 and was considered the "Father of Modern Russian Realism." Before he died on March 4, 1852, Gogol burned the second half of one of his most famous works, Dead Souls. Some other works he is well known for are: Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka, Taras Bulba, The Inspector General, and The Overcoat.
Bibliography
"Russian Literature."10 March 2009. Wikipedia. Cedar Cliff High School Library, Camp Hill, PA. 2 March 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_literature>.
Swensen, Andrew. "19th Century Russian Literature." Cedar Cliff High School Library, Camp Hill, PA. 2 March 2009<http://www.brandeis.edu/departments/ecs/recs130a/recs130a.html>.